solidifying second chances
by duskks
Summary: Sometimes second chances allow us to fix what is broken, but when nothing is broken, a second chance allows us to reroute our lives and go down the right path again. / follow-up to Possible Hope.


This is a follow-up to _Possible Hope _and _the Wrong One_. This is the third and last part. Enjoy and also let me know what you think! :)

**__****Disclaimer: ****I don't own anything. Not the characters. zilch. zip. nada. They all belong to their respective owners. (Not me)**

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**Solidifying Second Chances**

"I can't believe you're going to see him again!"

"Lois, please." She rolled her eyes at her cousin who was pacing in front of her. She had told the brunette of her unexpected encounter with Oliver of a few days ago and well you can imagine the rest.

"No! That jerk left you, he hurt you and above all he was going to marry _her_. Forgive me for thinking it's a stupid idea for you to see him again, Chloe!"

"Lois, it's just…"

"No, Chloe. It won't be just one time, not with him." Lois sighed and stopped pacing. She walked over to Chloe and stood in front of her. She placed her hands on the blonde's shoulders and gave her a concerned look.

"I know you never stopped loving him, Chlo. I can see the hope in your eyes but he hurt you." Lois could see the water build up in Chloe's green eyes. "I don't want you to go through that pain again."

Chloe looked down and in a small voice said. "He told me he still loves me. That he never stopped." She looked up into her cousin's eyes. "He was willing to walk away and let me be."

"And you stopped him." Lois took her arms off of Chloe's shoulders and crossed them across her chest. "Chloe…"

"No, Lois." Tears were sliding down her face. "You don't understand." She sighed and walked over to sit on the couch. She buried her face in her hands and Lois walked over and kneeled in front of her. Her eyebrows furrowed as she looked at her cousin.

Chloe brought her face up and looked at Lois. "I love him, Lois. The I-love-him-so-much-I-can-barely-breathe-type." She shrugged. "I can't help it. I don't even know if I can forgive him for what he did but seeing him again… just seeing him was like seeing fireworks for the first time in so long. I wasn't drowning anymore. I know it's pathetic; I'm such a masochist for wanting him around but I love him, that's all that makes sense to me right now. Maybe talking to him will bring closure, maybe I'll forgive him, maybe talking to him will help me finally let go. I don't know what will happen when we talk, all I know is that I have to give it a chance, for me, for him, for us."

Lois moved to sit next to her cousin and wrapped her arms around Chloe. The petite blonde rested her head on the brunette's shoulder. "I can't believe you let me go on and on like that. I just want what is best for you and I know that you are the only one that knows what that is. I just don't want to see you hurt again." She sighed. "Well, I guess you should get ready. He's going to be here in two hours."

Chloe pulled away and gave her cousin a small watery smile. "Have I told you, you are the best cousin, ever?" Lois grinned. "It doesn't hurt to hear it one more time."

Chloe chuckled and she stood up. "Thanks, Lois." Her cousin followed her antics and stood as well. "No problem. Now, let's go pick out something for you to wear."

**[One hour and thirty minutes later.]**

To say he was nervous was an understatement. He was petrified. He shifted on the couch nervously and cleared his throat. Why was it dry? He glanced to his side and gave Lois a tight smile. She was sitting on the loveseat, arms crossed over her chest and glaring at him.

"So, how are you Lois?"

"Don't try pleasantries with me. She may be giving you an opportunity to make it right but she hasn't forgiven you. Part of me hopes she doesn't." He winced and cast his sight downwards.

"Lois…"

She cut him off. "No. I'm going to make this clear. I don't trust you, not with Chloe's heart. I thought you were the one who was going to break her walls not her heart. If it were up to me, she wouldn't be going out with you tonight-"

"Look, Lois-" She raised her hand and stopped him from continuing.

"I'm not done. I'm not going to stop her." Oliver looked at her like she had grown to an extra head. "Don't look at me like that." She rolled her eyes and sighed. "This is Chloe's choice and I'm going to respect that. Which leads me to say, if you hurt her again in anyway, I will personally lead the team of marines that will end your green leather ass. You hear me." His eyes widened and he nodded.

She gave him a wicked smile. "Good."

Chloe walked out of her bedroom and was sure she could cut the tension with a butter knife. She looked between the two who were currently engaged in a staring contest more, well more like scaring contest, it appeared that Lois was doing the latter. She walked closer to them and cleared her throat.

Oliver's head snapped in her direction and she saw relief flood through his features. He quickly stood up and walked towards her.

She cast a glance behind him towards Lois who was grinning mischievously, when her eyes caught Chloe's it turned into a sheepish one when she saw the glare the blonde was sending her.

She turned her attention to Ollie. "Ready?"

"Yeah, let's go." She said as she moved towards the door and grabbed her coat from the hanger.

With her back turned Lois sent him a glare and brought two fingers up to her face and gave him the 'I'm watching you' sign. He gulped and walked out the door. Lois gave Chloe a sweet smile, the blonde just sent another glare at her instead.

She stage whispered. "Only because I respect your decision doesn't mean I have to be nice about it." Chloe just shook her head and closed the door behind her.

The drive to the restaurant was silent, not awkward silent like she thought it would be, though. They made small talk here and there on their way inside but it was never uncomfortable. They indulged into conversation of the things they had done during their time apart, neither broaching the real reason as to why they were there in fear that it might break the current spell they were under. Things were comfortable and natural between them, like the way his hand settled in the curve of her lower back as he lead her into the restaurant, or how she leaned into him when they walked next to each other; they way she smiled that only smile he could get out of her, or how being around her calmed his senses.

His heart sank a little at the sound of her light-hearted laughter. He had missed it so much and part of him feared that he would never get to hear it again, but here he was and he decided to imprint it to his very soul, along with the glint in her eyes and that smile, the one that made his blood pump and turned him into a love-sick fool. He grinned at her, he couldn't help it. She was so animated when she talked about some of her adventures and as happy as he was listening to her as she retold them he couldn't help the emptiness he felt at not being able to share the moment with her at the time.

Being around him, felt like coming home after a very long time. He took away her breathe and made her heart race. The looks he gave her were the same as the ones from before. They seemed untouched as if they were frozen for them, like a bookmark had been thrown at them, saving the last place they had left off for when they came back to it and continued on. She laughed with him, when he told her stories about Bart, Victor, A.C., of Mia and the other recruits. She felt a tug in her heart at the mention of the League. She had missed them too, but she knew it was the best choice to step down from Watchtower and make it easier for all of them. It was all in front of her again. All of it, for the taking. The only thing she had to do was reach out and grasp it. He was offering it to her, it was hers, and it had _always_ been hers.

They finished dinner and decided to take a walk, it lead them to that small café where it had all started. He offered to buy her a coffee which she took. They both sat at the same table, sitting across from each other, just staring.

She was so close, but he noticed the faraway look in her eyes. He reached out with his hand to take a hold of hers and when he grasped it he gave it a little squeeze. She stared at him and gave him a smile. He cleared his throat and glanced down before looking into her eyes again.

"We should probably talk about it." He felt her tense underneath his touch. She pulled away from his grasp and looked down at the cup of coffee. She bit her lower lip. All night she had dreaded this moment. Memories ran through her head, the pain, the lose, the hope, the love, it all flooded through her and she didn't know what to do.

His heart sank completely when she pulled away from him. What he feared the most was unraveling right in front of him and he had no control over it. He exhaled shakily. "Please, Chloe. Hear me out, just this once." He pleaded with her.

She looked up to him and with tears in her eyes she said. "No."

He felt the air leave his lungs when she spoke. He could feel his heart contracting in his chest. Everything was crumbling right in front of him. He looked down at his coffee and blinked back the tears that had formed in eyes. He cleared his throat again and said. "I guess I deserve that." He bit his lip, he looked everywhere but her. He couldn't look at her, it hurt too much.

She tightened her lips together as the tears started to fall. He had furrowed his eyebrows and she saw the water that had built up in his loving eyes, she wanted to soothe away the pain etched on his face.

He brought his hand up to brush away the runaway tear from his face. He nodded. "I should probably go then." She winced at the tint of sadness and the way his resolve broke at the end.

He stood up leaned down and kissed her forehead. He inhaled sharply taking a good whiff of her scent, wanting to hold onto if for as long as he could.

Her eyes fluttered closed at the feel of his lips on her skin, unconsciously leaning into it. She drew in a breathe and he attacked her senses. She wanted to throw her hands around him and hold on to him for dear life but she couldn't. She had no control over her body. He leaned down and whispered in her ear. "It has and will always be you, I love you, Chloe Sullivan." He kissed her moist cheek before standing up straight and walking away.

That did it. It broke her dam and the tears kept flowing freely. Her mind was racing and her heart was aching. He was walking away from her and she realized that what he had done for whatever reason he had done it for didn't matter anymore. She had understood his insecurities because one time they were hers and as much as she wanted to fault him for them, she couldn't because he wasn't perfect and she loved him even more for that.

And what happened with Dinah, well that was long after them and as much as it stung she understood the need to move on because she had tried it too. Realization hit her like a ton of bricks. The love of her life was walking away from her and with him a second chance at being happy, genuinely happy. She turned her head and glanced over her shoulder, she could make out his sagged figure in the distance. She pushed at the table and stood up. She turned around and ran after Oliver. She wasn't going to let this opportunity slip away from her, not this time.

"Ollie!" He turned completely at the sound of her voice.

She threw her arms around him and pulled him in for a kiss. He wrapped his arms around her and brought her as closer fusing their bodies together. She slanted her mouth and he deepened the kiss. They poured their very essence into that kiss, letting the other feel every single drop of the feelings.

They pulled away when air became a necessity and rested their foreheads against each others'. She looked deeply into his eyes and when she had steadied her breathing she spoke. "You don't have to tell me anything. The past is the past and there's nothing we can do to change it. Let's focus on now and take it as the days come."

He leaned down and captured her lips. When he pulled away stared into her eyes and said. "I want to tell you, though. I want to explain."

She nuzzled her nose against his then said. "You don't have to because I know and I understand." He studied her for a while and it dawned on him that she really did know. All this time she had known, simply because she knew him better than anyone else would.

He placed a chaste kiss on her lips and smiled down at her. "I love you, Chloe Sullivan. For always." She smiled up at him. " I love you, Oliver Queen. Forever." His smile transformed into a mega grin. They pulled away and he took her hand in his and they started walking away.

He looked over at the blonde next to him and realized that there was nothing to fix, that he just had to reroute them to go down the right path again. He had done the mistake of going his own way and there was no way he was doing it again because Chloe had always been the right one.


End file.
